Caring for the health of the elderly and staying away from "lost memory"

The movie "Mom!"

A tear-jerking movie.

A film that touches the soul

Directed by Yang Lina

Famous actors Wu Yanshu and Xi Meijuan play mother and daughter

85-year-old mother Jiang Yuzhi - actress Wu Yanshu - was once a university teacher

65-year-old daughter Feng Jizhen - actress Xi Meijuan - was once a physics teacher

— is also an Alzheimer’s patient.

Stills from the movie "Mom"

The film was released in mainland China in 2022. It takes the lives of a mother and daughter as the starting point, deeply portrays the images of two elderly women, and tells the story of family affection between mother and daughter. It has aroused the audience's attention to Alzheimer's disease and reminded us to pay attention to this disease, understand its causes and prevention measures, so as to better protect the health of ourselves and our families.

Stills from the movie Mom

What is Alzheimer's disease?

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease that affects the brain's memory, thinking and behavior. It is the most common type of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of all dementia cases.

What are the clinical manifestations of Alzheimer's disease?

Pay attention to the people around you. If they have the following symptoms, seek medical attention for diagnosis and treatment in time.

1. Memory loss: The earliest symptom is short-term memory loss, such as forgetting what you just said or did. As the disease progresses, long-term memory will also be gradually affected.

2. Language barriers: Patients may have difficulty speaking, understanding what others say, or finding the correct words.

3. Decreased cognitive ability: The patient's thinking and judgment abilities will gradually weaken, such as difficulty understanding abstract concepts, decreased planning and organizational abilities, etc.

4. Decreased spatial orientation: Patients may get lost, be unable to remember the way home, and feel lost even in familiar surroundings.

5. Behavioral and emotional changes: Patients may experience emotional problems such as irritability, depression, anxiety, fear, etc. They may also show changes in social behavior, such as becoming withdrawn and suspicious.

6. Decreased ability to perform daily activities: As the disease progresses, the patient’s ability to perform daily activities will gradually decline, such as being unable to independently complete basic life activities such as personal hygiene care and eating.

Stills from the movie Mom

It’s important to note that Alzheimer’s symptoms vary from person to person, and the condition can gradually worsen.

What are the causes of Alzheimer's disease?

The exact cause of Alzheimer's disease is not fully understood, but research suggests that it may be related to:

1. Genetic factors: People with a family history are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. Certain gene mutations increase the risk of disease.

2. Age: Age is the biggest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. The risk of developing the disease increases with age.

3. Lifestyle and environmental factors: Bad living habits (such as smoking, drinking, and lack of exercise) and environmental factors (such as long-term exposure to toxic substances) may increase the risk of disease.

The picture comes from the Internet

4. Cardiovascular health: Cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes may increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

How to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease

Although there is no definitive way to prevent Alzheimer's disease, the following steps may help reduce your risk:

1. Maintain a healthy lifestyle: eat a balanced diet, exercise moderately, quit smoking and limit alcohol, and maintain good sleeping habits.

2. Stay socially active: keep in touch with family and friends, participate in social activities, and cultivate hobbies.

3. Maintain mental health: learn to deal with stress, maintain an optimistic and positive attitude, and avoid long-term depression and anxiety.

4. Keep your brain active: engage in cognitive training, such as reading, learning new skills, playing intellectual games, etc.

The picture comes from the Internet

5. Control chronic diseases: Timely treat and control chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.

Alzheimer's patients are not individual cases, but a group of people who need the company of their loved ones, the care and understanding of their families. Deep in their hearts, they have a warmth that should not be forgotten. Society should also be tolerant and care for these elderly people who have forgotten their memories.

The picture comes from the Internet

Author: Wang Guihua, deputy chief physician, Yangxin County Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Province